A first-of-its kind study shows that Oregon provides some of the richest health insurance benefits for state employees from around the country.

The study released Tuesday by two major charitable foundations shows that Oregon's per-employee premium costs in 2013 were a third higher than the national average and were the sixth highest of the 49 states studied.

Oregon's employer-paid cost for employee plans with no dependents average $978 a month, compared with the U.S. average of $503.

For state employees with dependent coverage, Oregon's employer paid cost averaged $1,298 per month, compared with a national average of $1,007.

State employees with dependents paid an average of $68 per month for their health care, the third lowest average among the states. On average across the country, state employees paid $231 per month.

Monthly cost of state employee health care coverage

States with high costs

Avg. employer contribution, employee only

Avg. employer contribution, employee plus dependents

Avg. employee contribution, employee plus dependents

Alaska

$1,330

$1,330

$ 45

Oregon

$ 978

$1,298

$ 68

Montana

$ 733

$ 733

$ 157

Maine

$ 709

$1,247

$ 419

New Jersey

$ 695

$1,561

$ 62

Illinois

$ 647

$1,378

$ 198

Oklahoma

$ 641

$1,272

($ 211)

Wyoming

$ 636

$1,292

$ 123

New Hampshire

$ 616

$1,666

$ 112

Wisconsin

$ 594

$1,482

$ 216

National

$ 503

$1,007

$ 231

Oregon's "health care contribution does look generous," said Maria Schiff, who conducted the study. But she said it has to be viewed in context with other pay and benefits, which the study didn't attempt to do.

Health care benefits have also come in for a share of the attention, with critics noting that state workers have largely been able to keep the kind of employer-paid plans that are increasingly disappearing from the private sector.

Gov. John Kitzhaber has moved in recent years to require employees to pick up a small share of their health-care premiums and talked about how the state should get a "better value from our health care partners."

State Rep. Dennis Richardson, R-Central Point, who is running against Kitzhaber, charged that the governor has not focused enough on the issue.

"There is opportunity for savings here, and the governor has shown no leadership in examining that possibility," Richardson said in a statement. "If there are other states that successfully provide their employees with good if not better coverage at a lower cost to the taxpayers, then we need to pay attention to and learn from those states."

Melissa Navas, a spokeswoman for Kitzhaber said in a statement:

Health care is a huge cost to employers, and that includes the state. Health care costs for Oregon's public workers have almost doubled in the last 12 years. The Governor takes that seriously, which is why he continues to work with our employeesto find solutions.

In June, the Governor recognized the Public Employees Benefits Board for approving new 2015 rates and for rising to his challenge to create high quality, financially sustainable health plans for more than 130,000 public employees and their families.